DIY Garlic Oil - A Home Remedy for Ear Infections

DIY Garlic Oil – Home Remedy for Ear Infections

DIY Garlic Oil - A Home Remedy for Ear Infections
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Print Friendly

I used to get ear infections pretty often as a kid. So much so that the doctor recommended putting tubes in my ears. Thank goodness my parents didn’t let him because as coincidence would have it, I stopped getting ear infections shortly afterwards. While ear tubes are not recommend much anymore (some research has shown they could pose more risk than harm) kids still do get ear infections just as often as they did 20 years ago. And as any parent will attest to, it’s disheartening to watch a little one suffer from an ear infection.

As some of us can relate to, most physicians will head straight for the prescription pad when your child is diagnosed with an ear infection. Unfortunately, antibiotics cause an array of long and short term complications to our health. So, most of us #LifeFromScratch mommies try to steer clear of them as much as possible.

DIY Garlic Oil - A Home Remedy for Ear Infections
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Print Friendly

Thankfully, there are still many remedies in grandma’s medicine cabinet that actually do work.

From castor oil compresses to arnica for bruising; herbs, oils, and holistic remedies are very powerful indeed. Plus with the growing field of naturopathic medicine there are even studies to prove the effects of many of these remedies! One of these treatments from grandma’s stockpile is garlic oil for ear infections and ear aches. It is very easy to make, uses ingredients we all have on hand, and is quite effective.

DIY Garlic Oil - A Home Remedy for Ear Infections
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Print Friendly

Garlic is a superstar in this ear oil.

When used holistically it has antibacterial, antiviral, immune enhancing, anti-fungal, blood thinning, and cholesterol lowering effects. The most powerful of the components responsible for the amazing properties is allicin, (source). However, the catch is the stability of allicin is quite poor (source), so there is some question as to how well long this mixture lasts.

DIY Garlic Oil - A Home Remedy for Ear Infections
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Print Friendly

Allicin starts to degrade within 30 minutes  of the garlic being crushed or chopped. And how quickly it degrades varies greatly depending on multiple factors, which are much to difficult to control in a home.

This means that even day old garlic oil is not nearly as potent as freshly made.

For me I want the most effective oil to be used, so I choose to make this fresh each time I need it. The remaining oil can be saved for cooking or salad dressing or what have you. However, this is really personal preference as I do know some who keep this oil for months in their medicine cabinet.

5.0 from 4 reviews
DIY Garlic Oil - Home Remedy for Ear Infections
Author: 
 
Ingredients
Instructions
To Make:
  1. In a small sauce pan over low heat, warm the olive oil. Make sure to not get the oil too hot that it smokes or even so hot that it will sauté the garlic.
  2. When the oil is WARM add the minced garlic and swirl in the pan. The moment the garlic becomes fragrant remove it from the heat, you’re not actually trying to cook the garlic just heat it to the point it releases its germ fighting compounds. If you get it too hot the allicin degrades much faster.
  3. Place in a small glass container and let cool to a temperature tolerable for use.
  4. Strain the mixture.
  5. Store in a dark colored glass bottle with a dropper.
To Use:
  1. Apply 1-2 drops inside each ear canal as well as rub another drop or so on the external entrance. You can also rub some behind the ear in the area where the lobe connects to the head. In most people there should be a small indentation here to make it easy to identify.
  2. To help keep the oil in the ear you may need to use a little cotton at the entrance of the ear. Or try placing one drop on the cotton in addition to in the canal and keeping it in the ear overnight.
  3. To really boost the healing process, place a hot damp washcloth over the ear for about 20 minutes while the garlic oil is instilled. The damp heat expands the blood vessels so blood, and the germ fighting white blood cells, rush to the area to speed up healing.
  4. The oil should help soothe pain and fight of the bacteria which are causing the infection. Use as often as needed when pain returns.
Notes
Safety note: This should never be given if an ear drum is ruptured or if the child does have tubes in his or her ears.
DIY Garlic Oil - A Home Remedy for Ear Infections
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Print Friendly

Comments 25

  1. As an audiologist and teacher of the deaf for more than 30 years, ear infections of the outer ear are only affected by this treatment. Middle ear infections which are caused by negative pressure behind the ear drum are not affected. Tubes equalize the pressure, but even at that one can still get a middle ear infection which left untreated can cause very serious problems. This treatment does not equalize the pressure. The warmth from this can ease the pain, but not cure a middle ear infection. If there is a hole in the eardrum this can cause more problems leaking into the middle ear.

  2. Love this recipe!!! I’ve used something similar for a toothache using a few slices of garlic and coconut oil and swishing for about 15 minutes [like oil pulling] and then spitting out. Very strong salt water also is good for toothache.

    My elderly father had an earache so I put hydrogen peroxide drops in his ears. The bubbling [killing germs] tickled so he had no problem with it.

    The infection was also affecting his eye [I think all this was from a recently pulled tooth] but I didn’t want to use peroxide in his eye so I used very diluted Lugol’s iodine on his eyelid applied with a cotton ball.. Seemed to help.

  3. What is 2T of olive oil? I guess it may be 2 tablespoons but this is our ears we are talking about and guessing doesn’t seem like a good idea.

  4. Hi there!
    My girl has an ear infection and I was looking for homeopathic resolutions for it since she has been in antibiotics for the last three months.
    I do have a question, so what you are saying is that you make a new batch of garlic oil every time you are going to put oil in you child’s ear? I don’t mind doing it, I just want to make sure. I would do it if I have to.
    Thanks for tour great article and all tour help.
    Regards,
    Olga.

  5. Hi..My kid is now on antibiotics. so can we pour a drop into each jus to heal the infection and pain sooner.
    Thanks!!

    1. Since you are under a doctor’s care with antibiotics, I would defer to what the doctor thinks. My son’s doctor has told us in the past that using an oil in his ear to soothe is just fine, but again…that is my personal experience (and I am not a doctor).

  6. Hi! I’m wanting to try this, my 8 month old son currently has an ear infection and I want to try home remedies before going to medication! I was wondering, can you use store bought minced garlic as well or do I need to buy a clove and mince it myself? Thank you!

    1. I’m sorry to hear about your son. :/ Personally, I prefer buying my own fresh organic garlic and mincing it up. That said, I’m sure that the store bought would likely be fine…I’d just want to double check if it has any preservatives in it and what type of oil is is kept in. I hope this helps and that your son finds relief soon.

  7. Seems reasonable to me. I’m a pharmacist and my wife is going to do it to my 14 year old. My wife said after the instillation she would pour it onto our favorite salad. LOL. Agree with the audiologist, so be careful!

    BTW there is a typo in this sentence… fight of the bacteria should read fight OFF the bacteria.

    The oil should help soothe pain and fight of the bacteria which are causing the infection. Use as often as needed when pain returns.

    1. Hey Kurt! Thanks for the feedback, we’re working on the typo now. Jess said she always had success with her kiddo. I hope it worked for your 14 year old!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe: